By Republican U.S. Senate Candidate John Fleming, M.D.

Now that the incumbent, Dr. Bill Cassidy, has been eliminated from the Republican Party’s runoff election, Louisiana voters need to decide who is the best candidate to represent them in the U.S. Senate.

All voters hear from my opponent, Congresswoman Julia Letlow, is that she “earned the endorsement of President Trump.” However, the endorsement was totally engineered by Governor Jeff Landry through the political back door.

What did Julia Letlow do to earn the endorsement? Was it her lifetime commitment as a liberal academic to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), policies that President Trump strenuously opposes? Was it her liberal voting record in Congress that was in direct opposition to the President’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) and America First agenda?

Was it her vote to fund the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the Biden administration that allocated taxpayer money toward abortions and gender reassignment surgeries overseas?

Was it her staunch support for Biden’s Green Energy and Climate Change agenda, including carbon sequestration?

Was it her record of incompetence, passing no bills into law during her five years in Congress?

In contrast to her history of liberalism and ineffectiveness, I offer Louisiana voters a record of achievement and honest service. I am a physician, military veteran, small business owner, and job creator. I served as a Louisiana Congressman, Deputy Chief of Staff to President Trump, and was Co-Founder of the House Freedom Caucus. Presently, I am honored to serve as your Louisiana State Treasurer.

My voting record is unabashedly conservative, staunchly supporting MAGA and America First policies. I totally oppose the Green Energy and Carbon Sequestration scams.

Unlike my opponent, whose campaign has been referred to both the Federal Election Commission and the Department of Justice for investigation and who admitted to late filings of 210 stock trades, there is no blemish on my record. In fact, as a Congressman, I did not engage in stock trading.

As Julia Letlow’s liberal views are being exposed, her poll numbers are falling. In recent days, her own pollster announced that I am leading in the polls.

The more she drops in the polls, the more desperate and unhinged her attacks become. Her campaign is panicking and issuing shrill statements to confuse and intimidate voters.

Fortunately, Louisiana voters are smart. They know Julia Letlow will not debate me because she cannot defend her record. They know that Governor Landry and his allies are pumping millions of dollars of dark money into this race to support her. These insiders oppose me because they know I cannot be bought, bullied, or bossed.

I am running for the United States Senate because Louisiana needs a senator who will challenge the political establishment, both in our home state and in our Nation’s Capital, not accommodate it.

Louisiana voters face a clear choice in this Senate runoff. You can continue sending politicians like Julia Letlow to Washington who only talk about conservative values, or you can elect me, a proven conservative fighter who has spent a lifetime defending them.

Throughout my career, I have stood unapologetically for limited government, fiscal responsibility, secure borders, energy independence, and the sanctity of life. I have consistently placed principles above political convenience.

Friends, as the only genuine MAGA conservative in the runoff, I am asking for your vote to become Louisiana’s next U.S. Senator.

Early voting continues through June 20, and Election Day is June 27.

Music, food, family fun at free Hall of Fame Rockin’ River Fest Friday, June 26

Friday night is just right for some midsummer magic under the moonlight, free for all, during next weekend’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration in Natchitoches.

Specifically, it’s going to happen next Friday evening into night, June 26, on the Rue Beauport stage bordering Cane River Lake smack dab in the middle of the City of Lights’ historic and beautiful downtown district. It’s the free Rockin’ Riverfest party presented by Rapides Regional Medical Center and Louisiana Propane Dealers.

The showcase act is Blue Crab Redemption, a Louisiana bred and fed alt blues/rock band whose major influences include Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder and The Eagles.  Their sound is a raw, classic vibe from ghosts of legends past blended with the soulful influences of the modern rock era.

The opener is Connor Martin, a country artist passionate about creating music that inspires and connects. Recently, Martin has opened for Easton Corbin, Tyler Farr, Parker McCollum, and Keith Urban.

Good times will abound during the riverfront concert, which runs from 6 p.m. to 10:30. One of the highlights: at 9:15, the Hall’s impressive Class of 2026 will be introduced on stage, and celebrated with a 10-minute fireworks show set to sports-themed music over Cane River Lake. Then the music cranks up again for another hour of festivities.

And yes, you read correctly. It’s free to attend.

There will be food and beverage vendors – Girlines Home Cooking, Soulful Wings, Summer Snow To Go and for the grown-ups, Maggio’s, on the riverfront, and of course, Front Street’s always fun watering holes/restaurants are just a few steps away.

MOVE Sport and Spine will set up their sharp-looking apparel line for sale, and Hall of Fame gear will also be available.

It’s family friendly. A free interactive kids zone presented by the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans will include basketball, football, baseball games and inflatables for all ages to enjoy. NSU athletes will be on hand to help the kids have all the fun, and give away some basketballs.

If you want to beat the summer heat and enjoy a tasty collection of Louisiana foods and specialty refreshments, hurry and visit LaSportsHall.com to snap up some of the fast-disappearing $100 tickets to the VIP Taste of Tailgating presented by Hancock Whitney.

That party runs from 7-10 p.m. in the air-conditioned comfort of Mama’s Oyster House and Blues Room that will provide exclusive access to the 12-member 2026 Induction Class.

Join the fun and celebrate some of Louisiana’s sports greats, for free, on Friday evening, June 26, in downtown Natchitoches.

Rockin’ River Fest is one of three free events during the Induction Celebration, starting with the free Welcome Reception Thursday evening, June 25, from 5-7 in the Hall of Fame museum. It’s not a dress-up event, just a come eat and meet the inductees and check out the world-class museum at no charge. The other free event is the Saturday morning June 27 Saints & Pelicans LSHOF Junior Training Camp for kids. Advance registration is necessary at LaSportsHall.com.

For information on all seven events during the June 25-27 Class of 2026 Induction Celebration, visit LaSportsHall.com or call 318-238-4255.

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In a nutshell, yes.  To be fair to restaurants, though, it seems like the price of just about everything has gotten ridiculous.  In my research for this article, I found the website latestcost.com, which has a blog post on the average cost of a burger. The site has tons of pop-up ads that are a deterrent for spending much time delving into their blogs but I was intrigued with their vast list of average costs they discussed in their blog posts. According to their data, the average cost for just a hamburger with no sides or a drink is $3.50 – $12.00.  I don’t know about where you live, but in my neck of the woods, $3.50 is going to get you a burger that you would normally find in a kid’s meal with little to no nutritional value.  According to the website datassential.com, burger prices have risen by 14% since 2023 while beef production costs surged 32%. The average net profit margin a restaurant makes on each hamburger sold is 10 – 15% for a regular burger and 12 – 18% for a gourmet burger. 

There are ways to save when dining out. The easiest way to reduce your costs is to order water instead of a drink. According to moneydigest.com, the markup for a fountain drink at a restaurant ranges between 650% to 1,100%! Consider sharing a meal with your spouse, date, or friend. By sharing your meal, you’ll not only leave your wallet a little fatter, you’ll keep from growing your girth. You can also save on your meals by using coupons or discounts that may be available through your credit card or bank card. You may also find discounted gift cards at your local membership club or through gift card exchange websites. You can explore recommendations for gift card exchange websites at pcmag.com, which suggests you read a website’s FAQ section to determine if they offer a money-back guarantee before making any purchase.

Got a question about work, money, family—or just figuring life out? Ask Ida is where real people get real answers, served with humor and plain talk. Send in your question, and let’s make sense of life’s bumps together. ASK IDA

It was the second day’s game drive on our May visit to Tanzania in sub-equatorial east Africa.  We were there to witness the annual “Great Migration” of some 1.3 million wildebeest (AKA gnu) and 300,000 zebra across the Serengeti.  But that would come later.  First, guides would take us in open-air vehicles to view the local wildlife.  Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!  (Well, no tigers or bears in Africa but plenty of lions).

We’d already seen several lions that day.  Our guide spotted a young male lounging on a lakeside bank and we made the circuit for a closer look.  He was king and, undisturbed by our intrusion, continued to bask and pose for photos.

Around 1 p.m., Raymond rounded the corner on another lake to come right up on a pair of young lions relaxing on the sandy shore and drinking.  Again, they showed no fright of our vehicle but one, perhaps more bothered than worried, arose and calmly ambled up the steep bank to the grassy field above.  Raymond followed.  The lion disappeared into what our Louisiana-trained eyes would have seen as just a tuft of bushes and tall grass.  But as our vehicle neared, we looked down into a pride of lions.  Two-three-four, finally eight.  Some remained, disinterested.  Others wandered over to check out their visitors.  A great maned male settled to sun in the grass not a dozen feet from us.

My real thrill came three hours later as we made our way slowly back to camp, stopping to photograph various wildlife and colorful birds along the way.  Raymond pulled off the bumpy dirt track to make our way through trees and grass.  “There!  In the tree!”  I shouted excitedly.  We drew near.  Sure enough, 20 feet up among the limbs of an acacia tree (remember the Old Testament wilderness) lay a young female.  She looked more like a cuddly rag doll than a man-eater.  Closer examination proved three females overhead.  Our guide explained that females often find shelter in trees to get relief from the heat and bothersome flies.  Adult males are generally too heavy.  This shot down the Tarzan-based belief I’d held since childhood that if a lion was chasing you, a tree was safe because they couldn’t climb.  Wrong!  Leopards and cheetahs can.  I came to another realization.  I’d pridefully claimed my “sighting” that night back at camp but finally realized that our guide, with his binoculars and 15-years of training, had likely spotted the Lion Tree but remained silent so that one of his passengers could be “the first.”  That was me and I’m glad he did.

Truth is we probably saw more lions in trees than otherwise over the next two weeks.  They lay in tall grass, walked down the road past us, chased their quarry, protected their kill and cooled off in trees.  In all instances, they displayed an aura of strength and majesty.  As to strength and beauty, that would have to go to the leopard.  Them, we saw in trees, often with their prey.  Sleek and beautiful, now that goes to the cheetah which we found in grassy fields, one trio of brothers, another poised atop a termite mound.  Our guide had advised that this curious big cat would often climb onto the vehicle to peer in.  We experience that oh-so-close pet-like stare as one jumped aboard to view our crew.

We’d become adherents of the “Caution-not-Fear” philosophy of this safari.  The advice to “stay on the paths, not in the grass” made sense after we’d watched massive tan lions disappear into not-so-tall tan grass.  Or seen an Egyptian cobra (alive) or a black mamba (dead) on the road.  While we could walk to dinner before sunset, a camp guide with flashlight and maybe a weapon would take us back to our tent and zip us in for the night.  At one camp that seems mostly for show when Maasai warriors with spears or incredibly long knives were our escorts but all we saw were wonderfully tiny antelope called dik-dik and a pair of early morning giraffes.  At the next camp, however, the caution was real.  Our escorts were camp workers armed with little more than a flashlight and the hope that something bad would probably not happen.  One of our nightly gatherings around the campfire was canceled when lions were spotted in the area.  On another, our escort Tingaday’s flashlight revealed intense green eyes reflected back from the border grass.  “That is a hyena,” he informed us.  “A lion would be red.”  Our flashing lights made the predator move on.  We were glad when our escort zipped us into the tent.  Mind you, these were not Boy Scout camping tents but heavy canvas, hotel room-size structures on raised wood platforms. Close enough that lions can stroll by.  High enough that lions can walk under.  “But they’ll never bother you in the tent,” we are advised.  And with that assurance, we slept each night.

An Atlanta resident announced candidacy for constable today, running on a platform of fair leadership, deep community commitment, and public service.

“I believe our community needs a leader who is both fair and deeply committed,” the candidate said. “To me, this is not about a title. I am running to serve the people of this community, to do the job the right way, and to make a positive difference.”

If elected, the candidate plans to focus daily on neighborhood safety, upholding the law, and treating every resident with respect.

“I want to be a voice the people of Atlanta can trust and count on every day,” the candidate said.

Evan Williams
Candidate for Ward 8 Constable

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The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) will begin its summer session on Monday, June 15, offering free, interactive weekly classes designed to build stronger relationships, improve communication, and help local children prepare for a successful upcoming school year.

The multi-week program is open to all local families who want to spend quality time together and build lasting memories. Families do not have to be experiencing challenges or problems to participate or benefit from the skills taught during the sessions.

WHAT:

A multi-week educational and enrichment program featuring family meals, youth activities, and practical parenting and communication lessons.

WHO:

• Host: Strengthening Families Program (SFP)

• Participants: Open to all local families.

WHEN:

Classes begin Monday, June 15

• Schedule: Weekly on Monday evenings

WHERE:

Winnfield, LA (Contact program coordinator for exact venue location and registration details)

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Great Family Meal: Every weekly session kicks off with a delicious dinner for the entire family to connect.

• Fun Activities: Engaging, hands-on activities are provided for both parents and children.

• Great Lessons: Group sessions teach practical skills for family resilience and positive communication.

• Tools for School Success: Focused curriculum to help children build confidence for a successful upcoming school year.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Shonna Moss, Program Coordinator

Phone: 318-628-0169

About the Strengthening Families Program

The Strengthening Families Program operates under the motto, “Stronger Families. Stronger Children. Stronger Communities.” The evidence-based program focuses on building family strengths, improving behavioral outcomes for children, and enhancing overall family bonding.

Hall of Fame’s Round Table Luncheon will provide up-close, memorable moments

The “youngest” event during this month’s Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration is the most exclusive, yet casual, opportunity for the public to enjoy hearing from the Class of 2026 inductees.

It’s the Round Table Luncheon Saturday, June 27, at noon at Riverside Reserve, 104 Mill Street, in Natchitoches. There are still seats available for the eighth annual Round Table Luncheon presented by the Tiger Athletic Foundation.

Registration is available for the luncheon can be made by visiting LaSportsHall.com, or by calling 318-238-4255. It is a ticketed event.

Festivities begin Thursday evening, June 25 with the free of charge Welcome Reception from 5-7 open to all, no registration necessary, at the Hall of Fame museum facing the traffic circle at 800 Front Street in Natchitoches.

The BOM Celebrity Bowling Bash is at midday Friday, June 26 at Four Seasons Bowling Center in Alexandria. Friday evening brings the free Rockin’ River Fest concert on Cane River Lake in downtown Natchitoches, from 6-10:30, with the Class of 2026 introduced at 9:15 right before a sports-themed fireworks show over the water.

Events Saturday, June 27 include the free Saints and Pelicans Junior Training Camp for kids, the Round Table Luncheon, and the Induction Reception and Ceremony at the Natchitoches Events Center.

The Round Table Luncheon starts with tremendous Louisiana cuisine and quickly kicks into gear with Fox Sports announcer (and 2020 LSHOF inductee) Tim Brando interviewing small groups of inductees on stage in a very informal and fast-moving setting.

A poignant scene at the 2019 luncheon unfolded before the program when Peyton Manning, being inducted later that day, stopped by to greet LSU legend Johnny Robinson, who was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame two months later.

Scenes like that, up-close access and the fun-filled dialog between Brando and the 2026 inductees combine to provide a memorable 90 minutes.

The Class of ‘26 is headlined by a star-studded group:  Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame 2025 inductee Sylvia Fowles, NFL stars Joe Horn, Todd McClure and Pat Williams, Major League Baseball All-Star Jonathan Lucroy and legendary basketball coaches John Brady, Mike McConathy and Dewain Strother.

Alexandria native and LSU baseball hero Warren Morris will receive the Louisiana Sports Ambassador Award, earning enshrinement into the LSHOF. His walk-off home run won the 1996 College World Series for LSU and resulted in the Bolton High School product becoming a lifelong spokesman for college baseball, the CWS and LSU.

LSU graduate and New Orleans native Gil LeBreton and multi-faceted Shreveporter John James Marshall are going into the Hall as the 2026 winners of the LSWA’s Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism. Former Tioga girls basketball coach and nationally-acclaimed high school sports administrator Kathy Holloway is being inducted as the recipient of the Dave Dixon Louisiana Sports Leadership Award.

The Hall of Fame Round Table Luncheon shapes up as a highly entertaining opportunity for guests to have a up-close-and-personal experience and be entertained and well fed in a casual setting, with a touch of elegance at the Riverside Reserve on the banks of Cane River Lake just a mile from downtown Natchitoches.

Whether you combine finances or keep things separate, one thing matters most—having honest, regular conversations about money before it becomes a problem.

 See what Ida says 

State Representative Firment provides updates on insurance reform, teacher pay and the Legislature’s resolution to oppose any effort to transfer, divest, privatize, or dispose of Kisatchie National Forest lands.

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Central Louisiana Technical Community College’s Huey P. Long Campus recognized 27 graduates of its Practical Nursing Class XXXVIIII during a pinning ceremony Tuesday, May 12, at the campus in Winnfield.

The graduates were honored for successfully completing the practical nursing program as they prepare to enter the healthcare profession.

Graduates recognized in the class photograph include:

• Row 1 (front row, left to right): Whitney Banks, DeAira Duncan, Evanjalyn Atkins, Stephanie Poindexter, Averie Williams, Madeline Vail and Kaylee James.

• Row 2: Kylie Carter, Jasmine Jackson, Ellayah Hall, Heather Wright, Taylor Summers and Connie Pharris.

• Row 3: Miranda Long, LaKourtnee Adams, Miracle Flowers, Apolonia Conley, Katie Moya and Peyton Smith.

• Row 4: Maya Smith, Adell Atkins, Symone Glands, Naveah McCarter, Madison Brymer, Olivia Evans and Destine Leonard.

Graduate Briannia Bedgood was not pictured.